STIR 3.2 2006

s t i rSH ERW IN -W I L L I AMS® W h e r e C o l o r a n d C r e a t i v i t y C o n v e r g e Vo l u m e 3 • I s s u e 2 • 2 0 0 6

Techno-Color Forecast n Color Rx n “M” is for Metamerism

™

IS TECHNOLOGY TODAY’S COLOR MUSE?

isiting the major design shows this spring, I was struck

by the ways technology is transforming today’s spaces.

At the Kitchen/Bath Industry Show in Chicago, I saw

voice-command faucets, toilet seats that raise and lower

themselves, even spa tubs equipped with

built-in plasma TVs and surround sound.

The Hospitality Design Show in Las Vegas

featured sensory lighting that enables

rooms to illuminate automatically when

they sense your presence.

Even more intriguing to me is the

way that technology is influencing

color palettes, as you’ll see in this

issue highlighting Sherwin-Williams

colormix™ 07, our annual forecast.

Technology brings us new materials,

such as special-effects textiles with

built-in LED lighting or luminescent chameleon fabrics that change color

with their light source. But that’s only part of the impact. By giving us

easy desktop access to a global array of resources and inspiration,

technology also alters the way we and our clients see the world.

Our 2007 forecast includes multicultural influences, green living,

retro-inspired looks and 21st-century neutrals. One way or another,

these design directions are shaped by technology’s growing reach.

Whether we celebrate that or react against it, it’s all part of the color mix.

Sincerely,

Sheri Thompson

Director, Color Marketing and Design The Sherwin-Williams Company

STIR Advisory BoardEmily Blitzer Paul Segal AssociatesNew York, NY

Kathleen Neama The S/L/A/M Collaborative Glastonbury, CT

Ann Newton Spooner, IDS national presidentAnn Newton Spooner Interior Design Charlotte, NC

Karin Schluer, Allied ASID, LEED certified WESK Interiors, Inc. Millington, NJ

Leslie Shankman-Cohn, ASIDEclectic InteriorsMemphis, TN

Zara Stender, CID, IDS, Allied ASID,CMG vice-chair ZaraDesignsReno, NV

Kristine Stoller, NCIDQ certifiedKSID, LLCSharon, MA

Abby Suckle, AIA Abby Suckle ArchitectsNew York, NY

Denise Walton, ASID, NCIDQ certified Denise J Walton Design Scottsdale, AZ

V

The trademarks and copyrights of Sherwin-Williams appearing in STIR are protected.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Editorial Advisor:Tresa Makowski

Executive Editor:Bryan Iwamoto

Editor:Kim Palmer

Managing Editor:Laura Pigott

Executive Art Director:Sandy Rumreich

Senior Designer:Cate Hubbard

Senior Editors:Jim Thorp, Mara Hess

Production Director: Pam Mundstock

Project Manager: Linda Usgaard

Client Services: Steff Gumingo

STIR™ magazine is publishedby Hanley Wood, LLC, onbehalf of The Sherwin-Williams Company, forinterior designers andarchitects. We welcomeyour questions andcomments. Please directcorrespondence to: Sherwin-Williams STIR MagazineHanley Wood 430 1st Ave. N., Suite 550Minneapolis, MN 55401 Phone: (612) 338-8300Fax: (612) 338-7044E-mail: [email protected] site: sherwin-williams.com

Printed in the United States, © 2006 Sherwin-Williams, Vol. 3. Issue 2, 2006

Order Sherwin-Williams color samples online atsherwin-williams.com.

For product or compliancequestions, call the Architectand Designer Answerline at (800) 321-8194.

For local service and advice,please see your Sherwin-Williams ArchitecturalAccount Executive or yourlocal store.

s t i rSH ERW I N -W I L L I AMS®

Vo l u m e 3 • I s s u e 2 • 2 0 0 6

C O N T E N T S

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6

ON THE COVER COLORING THEFUTURE

Sherwin-Williams®colormix™ 07 forecast sets thestage for the comingyear’s color themes.Technology plays astarring role, pro-pelling us into thefuture as it drives usto reclaim the past.

7

PALETTE

Sherwin-WilliamsProGreen™ 200 interior paintbenefits the bottom line and the environment.Sherwin-WilliamsService Connection™hooks you up onlinewith homeowners in your area. Masterthe lingo with thehelp of Sherwin-Williams’ glossary of essential paintand color terms.

2

COLOR TECH

Learn more aboutmetamerism, the perception phenomenon that makes color matching a challenge.

4

LIVING IN COLOR

Add a little sparkle to your decoratingstyle with the shimmer and shineof Hollywood Glam.

6

HEALING COLOR

From nursery tonursing home, theright colors in health-care settingsmay help patientsget well soon.

16

COLOR THERAPY

Vibrant colors, alongwith a cheerfuldesign, create amood of energy and optimism at aCalifornia physicaltherapy center.

19

COLOR SPY

Karim Rashid, product designer,interior designer and modernistproponent, sees color and technologychanging our world —for the better.

21

GOING GREEN

New York City’sSolaire project, thenation’s first “green”residential high rise,is a case study for sustainable urban living.

23

FINAL TOUCH

Scratch the surfaceof tattoo color.

25

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2 S H E R W I N - W I L L I A M S S t i r

C O L O R N E W S A N D S O L U T I O N S F R O M S H E R W I N - W I L L I A M S

Palette

Budget-Friendly “Green” CommercialCoating Solution

High-quality, low-VOC paint can test

budgets, but not the new Sherwin-Williams

ProGreen™ 200, a competitively priced inter-

ior paint that meets or exceeds GS-11

standards. At 50 grams VOC per liter, the

product complies with environmental

regulations and is ideal for new commercial

construction. Available in Eg-Shel finish,

this low-odor product can be used in

occupied areas, so everyone on the job

can keep working without interruption.

Go to sherwin-williams.com and check out

the “Green Solutions” section for more in-

depth information about “green” coating

options that meet LEED, OTC, South Coast

or CARB requirements. You can also see case

studies, access the latest information on VOC

coating limits, and find links

to other sites that will help

you make the right coating

decisions for your projects

and the environment. n

Color Chips

Charting the Crayon

Since 1903, when

Binney & Smith

introduced the first

Crayola crayon,

people have been

fascinated with the

origins of the color

names. Originally

there were eight colors: black, brown,

orange, violet, blue, green, red and yellow.

The color “flesh” was voluntarily changed

to “peach” in 1962, partially in response

to the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. By 2003,

120 colors were available, with fanciful

names such as inch worm, jazzberry jam,

mango tango and wild blue yonder.

Red Rider

In 1931, the Coca-

Cola Company used

its signature red

color to dress Santa

and market its prod-

ucts at Christmas.

Although this was

not the first red-

robed Saint Nicholas (a 1653 English

woodcut portrays a red Santa), it took

this major marketing campaign to help

convince the world that Santa was a jolly

old man in a red suit.

Rings of Olympus

The Olympic spirit of

inclusivity starts with

its symbol. The offi-

cial Olympic logo was

created by Baron

Pierre de Coubertin

in 1913 and consists

of five interlacing

rings of blue, yellow, black, green and red.

At least one of these colors is found

in the flag of every nation.

LOOKING FOR RESIDENTIAL PROJECT LEADS?Connect online with homeowners in your area who are seeking design helpthrough Sherwin-Williams Service ConnectionTM, a new Web service bringinghomeowners, designers and contractors together. As a designer, you can:• Register online, free of charge.• Post your business profile online and update it anytime.• Get matched automatically to local prospects looking for design help.

Prospective customers can view your detailed business profile and submitan inquiry through the homeowner section of the Sherwin-Williams ServiceConnection Web site. Leads you receive have already identified themselves as interested in the types of services you offer.

For more information or to register your business with Sherwin-Williams Service Connection, go to swserviceconnection.com. n

CAN’T FIND THE WORDS?Good communication with clients and colleagues begins with a sharedvocabulary. Go to swstir.com to access a glossary of essential paint andcolor terms that will help you say what you mean and mean what yousay. Here are some examples:

Bleeding — The diffusion of color matter through a coating from underlying surfaces, causing color change.

Gloss — The shine or luster of the surface of a coating as light is reflected back at a 60 degree-angle.

Leafing — The propensity of flat pigment particles, such as metallic powders, to align themselves parallel to a coated surface. The resultis often a silvery or brilliant finish.

Sheen — A radiant brightness or glow, due to light being reflected from a smooth surface at an 85 degree-angle n

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Gail Mayhugh believes paint color isalive. “It will change from morning tonoon to night because of light coming

through windows, or lights being turned on,”says the Las Vegas interior designer, a phenom-enon that scientists refer to as color inconstancy.

But what if it “changes” on the way homefrom the paint store?

“A classic example is someone who chooses a berry red or bluish-pink color,” sayscolor consultant Jill Morton, CEO of Colorcomin Honolulu, Hawaii. The paint appears to per-fectly match a fabric or other sample. “Then,when they get it home, suddenly the color looks salmon.”

The paint hasn’t actually changed, ofcourse. The perceived difference in color iscaused by the phenomenon called meta-merism, in which two colors appear to matchperfectly under one light source but do notmatch at all under a different light source.

Color perception is the result of a complexinteraction between the light reflected off asurface and the chemical properties of itscolor source. Technically, this is called thespectral reflectance curve. Metamerism occurswhen colors respond differently to lightbecause of the way they were formulated;their spectral curves are different.

Different pigments, differentproperties“If you look around a room, all the objects yousee — fabrics, ceramics, paint — have differenttypes of colorants, dyes and pigments, eachwith differing properties,” says Roy S. Berns,professor of color science, appearance andtechnology at Rochester Institute of Technologyin New York.

Unlike the way we hear sounds, which wesense at individual frequencies, we see colorby transforming many wavelengths into just a

few signals, Berns says. “As a consequence,many combinations can result in the samecolor. If you had an infinite amount of time,you could make all colors match for one typeof viewing condition for one person, butonce you change the lighting, the differentpigments and dyes will respond differently.”

Different light sources can result in different effects, says Thomas A. Hough, colorscience specialist with Whiterock Design inTucson. “Light from a tungsten light bulb hasmore yellow content, while light from a fluores-cent lamp has more blue content.” Colors thatappear the same under one type of lighting canrespond differently under another.

Mayhugh, owner of GMJ Interiors, has seen this effect firsthand. “I’ll be out shoppingwith clients, looking at fabrics in stores under fluorescent lights, thinking the fabrics matchor coordinate,” she says. “Then we bring them home into incandescent lighting, and

The “M”wordUnderstanding metamerism can help design professionals avoid costly color mistakes

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maybe they won’t work at all or not in theway we expected.”

Color inconstancy tends to occur moreoften with complex color hues, says Morton,also the author of “Color Voodoo,” a series of publications about color. “Purple, brown, puce,mauve, sage green, celadon green — those are the colors that are more likely to ‘shift.’”

Finish also has an impactPaint finishes also can affect color appear-ance. Because shinier surfaces reflect light ina single direction while flat surfaces reflectlight in all directions, colors can appear differ-ent in matte versus gloss finishes, Berns says.

“To minimize problems associated withmetamerism, it’s best to use the same paintmanufacturer throughout a project whenever possible,” says Sheri Thompson, director of Sherwin-Williams’ Color Marketing andDesign. Different manufacturers use different

formulas of pigments or colorants to arrive at a specific hue. The fewer the pigments,the less likely the finish will be affected bychanges in lighting.

It’s also essential to view colors under theconditions in which they’ll be used. Sherwin-Williams paint stores have special light boothsthat allow you to view paint samples under avariety of lighting sources. But that accountsonly for indoor lighting. Outdoor light also can affect the way a color appears. “If you live in the desert, you might have beige lightcoming into your home. If you live in Hawaii,you’ll have more greens,” Morton says.

Both Morton and Mayhugh recommendtesting paint color in the location where it willbe used by buying small samples of color andpainting poster boards, which can be movedeasily from room to room for easy comparisonwith other design elements. “That’s the key,”Morton says. n

Your Colors in Context

To ensure that the color you choose looks

as good at your project site as it did on

your presentation board, take advantage

of Sherwin-Williams’COLOR To Go™

color-sampling program. COLOR To Go

samples are mixed by request in small

Twist-n-Pour™ containers. This try-

before-you-buy program offers a

virtually unlimited number of paint

colors, including colors from the Sherwin-

Williams palette and custom color

matches. To purchase a COLOR To Go

sample in the hue of your choice, visit

your local Sherwin-Williams store.


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Gleam

1. Mirrored Vanity

Hooker Furniture’s

occasional pieces are

crafted of hardwood

in a crackled white

finish and sport crystal

drawer pulls and

mirrored fronts.

www.hookerfurniture.com

Sparkle

2. Crystal Light Fixture

Schonbek’s Geometrix

high-tech lighting in

spirals and slices,

cylinders and spheres,

and pyramids and rec-

tangles imbues Strass

crystals by Swarovski

with dazzling color.

www.schonbek.com

Dazzle

3. Gold Leaf

Framed Mirror

Sirena framed mirror

by Martin Aborn

features a luxe finish

stenciled by hand

in a gold-leaf

Florentine pattern.

www.martin-aborn.com

L I V I N G I N C O L O R

A TOUCH O F

GLAMOUR

3

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In a sure cure for tired, muted traditional home decor, an exciting trend,

Hollywood Glam, is emerging that has consumers adding a little efferves-

cence to their rooms. According to trend watchers, sleek opulence is back,

stemming from a nostalgic interest in the Old-Hollywood “starlet”style of

the 1920s through the 1940s. Here are a few ways to bring out the inner

diva in your decorating style. Go to swstir.com for more on this trend.



techno-colorFORECASTSherwin-Williams® colormixTM 07 stir your sensesTM

To receive your Sherwin-Williams® colormix™

07 fan deck, contact your Sherwin-Williams

Architectural Account Executive or call

the Architect and Designer Answerline at

(800) 321-8194 to have an account executive

contact you.

B y K I M PA L M E R

Humans have a love-hate relationship with technology. We embrace itspromise of limitless possibilities. But we also fear its growing, sometimesinvasive presence in our lives, and yearn to preserve our individuality.

Both sentiments are exerting strong gravitational pull on design, as demon-strated by Sherwin-Williams colormix 07, an extensive analysis of the culturalinfluences that are expected to color our world.

“Technology is giving us things we never dreamed of: new materials, finishes,fabrics and textures,” says Becky Ralich Spak, senior designer, Color Marketingand Design, Sherwin-Williams.

Technology also is transforming design from the inside, exposing our eyes andminds to other cultures and design traditions, and even creating a technologyaesthetic all its own.

“We’re bombarded with more images in a day than our ancestors saw in a lifetime,” says color consultant Jill Morton, CEO of Colorcom. “Visually, we requiremore stimulation.”

But this brave new world has a flip side: a deepening desire to protect the bestof the world we’re leaving behind. We welcome our high-tech present, but longfor our high-touch past. Nostalgic comforts and handmade artifacts strike adeep chord, says Ralich Spak, because they represent the personal element wefear we’re losing.

Technology, ultimately, inspires us to embrace our humanity, says ZaraStender, owner of ZaraDesigns and vice chair for the Western Region of the ColorMarketing Group. “The more tech we get, the more we long for connection.”

H


“Think of green as a neutral. Look what Mother Nature

does with green as a backdrop.” — LEATRICE EISEMAN

b a l a n c e d l i v i n g

Only a few years ago, environmentally friendly design occupied a tiny niche. Now, fueled by growing concern about the

Earth’s resources and human health, green design is flourishing like a well-tended garden.

Time magazine’s summer Style & Design cover celebrated “Green Living” and asked, “Is Sustainability the New Luxury?”

But the growth of green has moved beyond luxury status into something more universal. Cost is no longer the bottom line;

there’s a deeper appreciation of the issues at stake.

“There’s more and more awareness,” agrees Karin Schluer, a LEED-certified designer with WESKetch Architecture in

Millington, N.J. “More designers are really into it, and some have to be because of chemical sensitivities.”

The green movement is part of a broader appreciation for all aspects of balanced, healthy living, says Ralich Spak.

“There’s more interest in organic products, yoga and Pilates, recycling, and conservation of fuel and fresh water.”

The design impact of our growing green-mindedness is a renewed appreciation for relaxed, natural elements and clean,

pastoral hues, put together the way nature intended. Think of the cool shades reflected in rippling water or a bowl of fresh

blueberries, or the golds and greens of a sun-washed Cezanne landscape. “The Sherwin-Williams yellow family – from soft

and warm Butter Up to Gallant Gold – is growing in importance,” says Ralich Spak.

“Green design is beyond a trend,” says Leatrice Eiseman, color consultant, executive director of the Pantone Color

Institute and author of “More Alive with Color” (2006, Capital Books). “This is not fluff; this is a serious concern, and it just

keeps growing.”

SapphireSW 6963

Gallant GoldSW 6391

Butter UpSW 6681

RaindropSW 6485

InlandSW 6452

NavalSW 6244

Exclusive PlumSW 6263

ELEMENTS• Technology-created natural finishes

• Recycled materials

• Weathered woods with color washes

• Leaf and branch motifs

• Weather-resistant coatings

O


Aurora BrownSW 2837

PennywiseSW 6349

BrassySW 6410

Leather BoundSW 6118

GingerySW 6363

MaroonedSW 6020

ELEMENTS• Artisan and global craft traditions

• Geometric lines and shapes

• Carved exotic woods, embellishments,

intricate details

• Indigenous materials

• Scrolling metal designs

Fine WineSW 6307

“We’re globally conscious now. We have to be.”

— ZARA STENDER

s u l t r y o r i g i n s

Bollywood is more than an influence – it’s a metaphor for today’s multicultural style sampling. Just as the Indian film

industry interprets Hollywood glamour to create a distinctive aesthetic, so do we borrow ethnic elements that appeal to

us and put our own spin on them.

Influences from Asia, Africa and the Middle East that once seemed daring and exotic are increasingly finding their way

into American interiors. Even those who can’t travel can go to the Internet and get a pretty good feel for a culture and its

architecture, says Ralich Spak. “Technology allows us to reach to the other side of the world without a plane.”

“Street couture” also colors our view. As we become accustomed to seeing our fellow global citizens in vibrant ethnic

clothing, we internalize those looks. “Multiethnic influences have empowered people to use much more complex colors

together,” says Eiseman. “You might look at two strong colors and think they don’t belong together, but when you see them

in the context of an ethnic print, they work.”

Indian and Moroccan elements remain strong, aided by laser-cut technology that gives textiles and wall coverings

the look of heirloom lace or Moorish architecture. Eastern European, Spanish and Portuguese elements are emerging

influences. “Spain is what Tuscany used to be,” Eiseman observes. And as the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics approaches, all

eyes will be on China, spurring interest in its rich design history.

This multicultural medley dovetails with a rising interest in artisan craft traditions around the globe and close to home. The

Arts & Crafts revival, in particular, continues to gain momentum. Its clean, simple lines marry beautifully with the spice-infused

hues of ethnic pieces, Ralich Spak says, and its underlying aesthetic still resonates. Just as it emerged as a reaction to the

Industrial Revolution, its resurgence today is a reaction to the technology-created design of the Digital Revolution.

“We live in a world that’s increasingly mass-produced,” Eiseman says. “So we feel a need to go back to something that has

value, something that was artfully, lovingly crafted.”

B

ELEMENTS• Clean lines, tailored details

• Luminescence

• Textural interest

• Mixed-value neutrals, warm with cool

• Relaxed elegance

Practical BeigeSW 6100

Pacer WhiteSW 6098

KryptonSW 6247

IvoireSW 6127

Harmonic TanSW 6136

Warm StoneSW 7032

JavaSW 6090

Mega GreigeSW 7031

Rice GrainSW 6155


“Midtone and deeper saturated neutrals bring new depth and drama.”

— BECKY RALICH SPAK

u n d e r s t a t e d e l e g a n c e

Bland? Boring? Not today’s neutrals. Their mix of values, of warm and cool tones harmonizing together as they do in

natural stone, represent a subtle rainbow compared with the safe off-white palettes of yesteryear.

Sherwin-Williams’ cool grays, such as pale Krypton and deep Cyberspace, are making a comeback after a noticeable

absence, says Ralich Spak.

And technology brings a whole new dimension to neutral palettes, adding light and inner luster with textures and

finishes we could never have imagined previously.

“Technology has come so far since neutrals were last in the spotlight,” says Ralich Spak. “There are wall coverings that

look like fish scales, LED lighting that adds texture and dimension, even leather with a luminescent quality.”

The Milan Furniture Fair was a-shimmer with metallic finishes and crystal-embedded textiles, Eiseman notes. “Years

ago, if crystals were in the fabric, you would feel them. Now technology allows a flat finish that still sparkles.”

The range of products with chameleonic colors is rapidly expanding, Morton says. “We first saw it in the automotive

industry, with complex grays that shift from silver to lavender. Once we see it in one arena, we look for it in others.”

Technology is redefining luxury for the mass market, Eiseman says. “Luxury today doesn’t necessarily mean the most

expensive textile. Today you can create a very sumptuous fabric that is synthetic but still looks natural. Technology is allow-

ing us to have more.”

B

CyberspaceSW 7076


PepperySW 6615

Black SwanSW 6279

AntiquitySW 6402

Storm CloudSW 6249

DrizzleSW 6479

OrchidSW 0071

ELEMENTS• Retro silhouettes

• Vintage and vintage-inspired pieces

• Nostalgic details: rickrack, pompon,

quilted appliqués

• Brocade fabrics, tropical and Pucci prints

• Grass cloth and flocked wall coverings

“To younger generations, it’s new and hip. To older ones,

it’s ‘Wow, wasn’t that a great time?’” — ZARA STENDER

v i r t u a l r e - m i x

Iicture a look that’s the visual equivalent of a “greatest hits” CD with all your favorite tunes from decades gone by.

Nostalgia is going strong, with elements and colors that borrow freely from the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. The new spin

this time around is that there are no rules. “Eclectic is the key word,” says Eiseman. “We’re mixing rather than matching.”

It’s more than a look; we’re hooked on a feeling – the cozy comfort of a retro kitchen stocked with colorful Fiesta Ware

or the warmth of a family evening spent over a classic board game. “This is a very emotional palette,” Eiseman says. “It

offers something to resonate with every age group.”

Looking back with wistful fondness is perhaps inevitable given our uncertain present. “No question about it,” Eiseman

says. “Vintage is not new, but it’s a movement that has gained momentum.” Our nostalgic mood emerged just before 2000

amidst apprehension about the millennium bug, then escalated after Sept. 11. “It’s had legs ever since,” she says. “It’s not

going away.”

And unlike previous retro revivals, our nostalgic mood is irony-free. “It’s not tongue-in-cheek – we’re not making fun of

the past,” Stender says. “We’re revisiting it with respect.”

P

“This is a very dramatic look – white and black with punches of color.”

— BECKY RALICH SPAK

k i n e t i c c o n t r a s t s

GulfstreamSW 6768

Gold CrestSW 6670

AblazeSW 6870

Extra WhiteSW 7006

Bohemian BlackSW 6988

JuneberrySW 6573

Luau GreenSW 6712


A ndy Warhol rarely smiled, but today he’d have much to grin about. The pioneering pop artist’s bold, graphic style is

enjoying another 15 minutes in the spotlight. A small Warhol painting of a can of Campbell’s soup recently sold at

auction for $11.8 million, and the 20th anniversary of his death next February will inevitably trigger a new wave of tributes.

But Andy can’t claim all the glory. Other modern abstract artists, such as Paul Klee and Piet Mondrian, also are having a

major impact on the way we see the world: bright, saturated color accents against a backdrop of black and white; lines that

are clean and sharp; glossy finishes. The impact is thoroughly modern and pulsing with energy.

“Strong contrast is the driving look and feel,” says Ralich Spak.

Apple lifted this look for its iconic iPod ad campaign, featuring black silhouettes against colored backgrounds. “That was

such a strong and dramatic graphic imprint that it sparked interest in the original silhouettes,” says Eiseman.

The look resonates, in part, because technology has influenced our perception, Eiseman says. “We spend a lot of time

looking at screens, moving graphics and pop-up ads. Our eyes have become accustomed to juxtapositions of color. We’ve

had TV cartoons for many years, but this is in a much smaller, intensified space.”

New to the mix is the pairing, borrowed from the fashion runways, of strong, bold colors with very pale hues, she adds.

“Fashion always pushes the envelope, and the more you see something, the more you get used to it.” The pale color

functions “almost like a tinted white,” Eiseman says. “They support each other really well, without looking like the same-

old, same-old.” n

ELEMENTS• Laser-cut fabrics

• Pop art/graphic art

• High-gloss finishes

• Patterns influenced by body art

• High contrast (white with black,

bold accents)


Decorated in hospital-issue grays and dirty whites, mygrandpa’s tiny nursing-home room gets its only splashesof color from his green cardigan and a framed photographperched on his window sill, showing him and Grandma.When I visit, I find the drab environment

stifling and can only imagine how dreary it is for Grandpa.Grandpa doesn’t complain. But architects, designers and a growing

number of health-care administrators believe the right colors — wellbeyond shades of gray — can make people’s experience with health-careenvironments more positive, help facilities compete, and possibly evenprovide therapeutic benefits to patients, from the newborn to the aged.

With nearly $20 billion spent on the construction of health-care facilities each year, the stakes for getting it right are high. “We respondfavorably to color and light in nature,” says Roz Cama, chairwoman of the Center for Health Design. “Retail designers frequently use this concept to lure customers and keep them shopping longer; hospitalitydesigners use color to make guests feel relaxed.” But, when it comes tohealth-care design, “we often fail to use the full spectrum of color andlight to enhance the healing process.”

Even so, Cama says there are signs of change as health-care administrators, heeding research that shows patients in thoughtfullydesigned spaces have higher satisfaction with their experiences andare more likely to select the facility for future health-care needs, areembracing color. Hospitals are building warm, homey maternity wardsto lure “young women who will later make the health-care decisionsfor their children, husbands and parents,” says Cama. And Grandpa’snursing home notwithstanding, a rapidly aging generation of babyboomers has geriatric facilities following suit.

Color as patient cueMelissa Young, a designer with Sunrise Medical – OneSource in Stevens Point, Wis., proposed dramatic color schemes for the company’s Evergreen Retirement Community in Oshkosh, Wis.

“Residents want more than just lollipop colors,” says Young, who usedrich, saturated colors such as Hubbard Squash (SW 0044), BunglehouseBlue (SW 0048) and Rembrandt Ruby (SW 0033) in Sherwin-Williams’ProMar 200 formulation. The colors do double duty as wayfinders. Each of the four “households” in the facility is distinguished by a differentcolor scheme, so that even patients with cognitive impairment can easily find their way to their rooms after visits to the public areas.

It’s not always easy to make color choices that will please everyonewho will visit a health-care provider, says the architect on theEvergreen project, Gaius Nelson of Nelson Tremain Partnership inMinneapolis. “People have a lot of variety in their likes and dislikes,”he says. Personal tastes as well as cultural, regional and generationalpreferences can complicate selections.

Cama once designed a psychiatric ward for a hospital that served aChinese population. Rather than use white, which in China is symbolicof death, she chose muted pastels that wouldn’t be so depressing for residents. And while deep, bright colors can distract and delightpediatric patients, they can be jarring for patients with dementia, particularly if they are used on the floor, where sharp color transitionscan leave patients feeling they are stepping into an abyss.

Residents of health-care facilities may respond to colors differentlythan do staff, who besides being in and out of the facility more, mayhave a perspective driven less by aesthetics and more by clinical realities, such as ease of maintenance and sterility.

Health-care designers increasingly tap the power of the palette to promote patient well-being

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And while deep, brightcolors can distract anddelight pediatricpatients, theycan be jarring for patients with dementia…”

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“There were staff members who initially didn’t like the color selec-tion” for Evergreen Retirement Community, says Young. “But they don’thave to live it 24 hours a day.”

In any case, says Cama, interpreting color cues can be tricky. “You can saygreen is calming, but is it avocado or chartreuse?” And the wrong lightingcan foil the most thoughtful color plan. “If you put any color under fluores-cent light, it is going to look harsher,” says Cama. Color selection, review andapproval must be done under the same lighting conditions, she adds.

A palette to sootheAnne Marie Procopio chose serene shades of blue in her design forFranciscan Hospital for Children in Brighton, Mass. Procopio, a designerwith Drummey Rosane Anderson Inc. in Newton Centre, Mass., selectedcool shades such as Huckleberry (SW 1523) and Sugarplum (SW 1520) inSherwin-Williams’ ProMar 200 formulation to anchor the hospital’s GreatBarrier Reef theme. The theme and colors were chosen to soothe anxiousyoung patients, many with traumatic head injuries that can magnifytheir response to stimuli such as bright hues. “Blue is a tranquil color,”says Procopio. The restful palette and reef theme give children calmingthings to look at while they are waiting to see the doctor.

“More and more, hospitals are coming to understand the impact ofinvesting in evidence-based [research-supported] design,” says Cama.Working with the Center for Health Design, researchers at JohnsHopkins University surveyed nearly 80,000 articles for patient out-comes related to a variety of design features, ranging from room size totype of window to color, searching for design strategies that can reducestress and length of stay. Though they found little direct research prov-ing the influence of color, other findings, particularly those showingthe positive benefits of lighting and patients’ views of nature, may haveconnections to the effect of color on patient outcomes.

There may be no one color prescription for all applications in health-care design. But one thing seems clear to the people who are creatingthe places where we heal: Color is critical. Cama can’t forget the storyof a sick little girl who was having a tough time when she came intothe Yale – New Haven Children’s Hospital emergency room with her

mother. When the child was admitted and transported toa bright and colorful inpatient room that Cama hadrecently designed, her eyes lit up. “Mommy, can I stayhere?” she said. That’s proof enough for Cama. Thatresponse alone helps her understand the importance of color in health-care design, she says. n

Go to swstir.com for more on health-care design.

Room With a View

It may not be a cure-all, but a landscape scene — even if it’s just a

single tree — can help patients heal. Health-care design guru Roger

Ulrich’s groundbreaking findings more than a decade ago showed

that given either a room with a view of nature — say a window into

a courtyard or even a landscape painting — versus a brick wall to

look at, patients did better when looking at nature.

Everything from blood pressure to recovery from surgery can be

improved with a view of nature, and there is strong evidence that

even a brief view of real or simulated natural landscapes can distract

patients from pain and can significantly reduce stress in as little as

three minutes — all without FDA approval.


The waiting room of Franciscan Hospital for Children (left and inset)

incorporates undulating lines that mimic waves.

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hysical therapy can be daunting. Following doctor’s orders to visitthe therapist’s office — where a white-clad clinician prods a kneerecovering from replacement or pushes and pulls an over-used

shoulder — can feel like volunteering for torture. When physical therapist Pam Wain went to design her new FlexPhysical Therapy and Fitness Center in Oakland, Calif., she wanted to create a less threatening and more encouraging space. “I wanted a place that patients would want to come back to,” says Wain. Sheturned to her architect-husband, Pierluigi Serraino of Anshen + Allen in San Francisco, for help.

“There is usually a sort of bleakness in physical therapy studios,”says Serraino. “It is never about the celebration of your recovery.”

“My wife is a very cheerful person and has a lot of wonderful energy,” he adds. “Color was a way to create a lively space” thatwould reflect her attitude.

Employing a modernist design with color inspiration from the popular animated film Finding Nemo, Serraino produced an unex-pected and celebratory design by washing the 3,200-square-footspace in deep, jewel-toned colors — nearly 20 different ones in all.

Entering through the square gray exterior, patients are greeted by a deep-red entry — and it doesn’t get any more subdued as theymove through the space to do the work of healing. Colors delineateland-based Pilates physical-therapy and aquatic-therapy spaces andcreate boundaries for patients working hard to recover.

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Making a splashBright hues enhance healing at a California physical therapy center


A colorful palette (this page

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Flex Center’s pool area and

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Uplifting paletteThe windowless pool area is bright and uplifting with walls painted in produce-fresh colors including Sherwin-Williams Kiwi (SW 6737) and Vegan (SW 6738), and anchored by strong Tanager (SW 6601) atthe floor — all in epoxy finishes to withstand the moisture. Changing-area doors are painted in perky contrasting colors. The land-basedPilates area is awash in sunny yellow.

According to Wain, the vibrant colors reflect not only an attitude, but also a regard for clients that is often missing in health care. A drabdesign, she says , does nothing to inspire clients to heal or to show themthat you care. “Physical therapy is often very serious,” says Wain. At Flex,the goal is to inject a little fun into the experience — and the environment.

Colors were purposely chosen to create a mood of energy and optimism. “They are very strong and very saturated,” meant to be invigorating rather than soothing, Serraino says.

Still, he didn’t want the bold environment to overdo it. “You have to be careful so that the colors don’t become overwhelming.”

The carefully chosen, cheerful design is a big hit with her patients,Wain says. “People are shocked; they just love it.”

Ericka Rodriguez, office manager at Flex, also reports positiveresponses. “I had one patient who was really grumpy on the phone,”she says. Once the patient arrived and saw the colorful space, her attitude changed completely. “She walked in, and she was like, ‘This is just an amazing place.’”

Flex staff members benefit, too. Rodriguez says she used to dreadgoing to work each day, but no more. “[Flex] is such a different environ-ment; it is so bright, and the colors just cheer me up. It changed mywhole attitude toward work,” she says. n

... the vibrant colors reflectnot only an attitude, but aregard for clients that is oftenmissing in health care.

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BRAVENEW WORLDTechnology brings us closer to designer Karim Rashid’s vision of a bright, modernist future

B y K I M PA L M E R

Product designer Karim Rashid has always been a modernist. “It’s the way I see the

world,” he says. With more than 2,000 objects put into production, Rashid has applied

his minimalist aesthetic to clients as diverse as Nambe, Mikasa, Prada and Umbra,

and has been credited with bringing modern design to the masses. Dubbed “the poet

of plastic” by Time magazine in 2001, Rashid has now branched into interior design.

C O L O R S P Y


STIR: We’ve been hearing that modernism is on the rise.What’s your view?

KR: No question about it, we’re living in a more contem-porary world. We’ll see a huge change in 10 or 15 years.There’s still a lot of money with the older market, but asyouth become well off, contemporary style will grow.

STIR: Why do you think that’s happening?

KR: All artifacts speak about the period in which we live.In the last century, we regressed so much, as if we had nofuture. We thought we’d live on the moon, then we wentand there was nothing there — just dead rock. We lostour optimism about outer space and regressed to earthycolors. We were replicating the past. Now it’s all breakingloose. We’re starting to see new optimism for the future.Technology is affording us a better world.

STIR: How will that influence color?

KR: When we’re really optimistic, color moves in. We sawit in the original pop movement in the ’50s, after WorldWar II. The economy was strong, and there was optimismabout the future. I think we’ve accepted color again in thepast five years. It’s a beautiful phenomenon. We’re bornwith this gift, to see color. Then we get afraid of it. Color issomething to celebrate and enjoy. It’s odd that we thinkit’s something for children.

STIR: What’s the design impact of the digital revolution?

KR: It’s an interesting time we’re living in, a time of cus-tomization. Thirty or 40 years ago, you could have thingshand-painted any color. Then we went to mass produc-tion and just a few color choices. Now we’re going back tochoice through technology and digital color. For the firsttime, design has become democratic. We can publish atour desktops, customize our Nikes, make our own sham-poo and edit our own movies. Now we’re looking at therest of our environment and wondering, “Why do I havethese incredibly beautiful high-tech products and thisderivative 18th-century couch?”

STIR: How is technology changing the way we live?

KR: Soon we won’t need a key for the door. A sensor will letus in. You won’t need to turn on lights; light will follow youaround your home. My bathroom in New York is all motionsensors; I don’t touch my tap or flush my toilet. These ideasused to be science fiction; now they’re here. Soon they willbe affordable enough for the masses.

STIR: You made your name designing consumer products.Why did you decide to branch into interior design?

KR: You can really affect a person’s psyche — it’s more ofa sensory experience. My theory is that if a product is

really good, it can exist in any color, and with mass production, you can go in all different directions — youcan experiment. But in interior design, you only haveone chance to get it right. I recently did a restaurant inBelgrade, and I changed my mind about the the floor20 times. First it was high-gloss pink, with lines like anold mosaic. Then high-gloss black. Then gray.

STIR: So what did you end up with?

KR: White. (Laughs.) Isn’t that sad? But the rest of thespace was so over the top with color and imagery thatit needed white.

STIR: What were your early color and design influences?

KR: My father was a set designer for TV and film, andthat probably had a lot of impact on me. He paintedsuper graphics in the house, and we had a big plastichigh-gloss orange clock.

STIR: What colors do you choose in your own life?

KR: For five years, I’ve been wearing only white. It’s ablank canvas. I took all my black clothes to the SalvationArmy. My home is crazy — fluorescent orange, brightpink and plums. I change my apartment about everymonth. I’m kind of obsessed with change.

STIR: Do you have a signature color?

KR: Pink. I was always fascinated with pink as a child. At my high school graduation (in Toronto), I wore a custom-made pink satin suit and dyed my hair pink. A few years ago, British GQ said, “Karim made pink masculine,” which I love.

STIR: What are you most excited about right now, withrespect to color?

KR: The colors I’m into now are iridescent and change-able. I recently did a park bench in Japan that looksgold, pink or orange, depending on the angle. It’s colorwith depth.

STIR: What color or design trend would you like to seego away?

KR: What I wish would go away is this notion that “cozy”is a big fat fluffy couch with pillows. That’s an old idea ofwhat cozy is. You could get a big contemporary couchthat was more comfortable. There’s a weird mentalityabout wood. People immediately want it. They fear plas-tic. But plastic is so superior! It can outperform wood, it’s lightweight and it’s recyclable. It’s time to accept it. n

(For more information, visit www.karimrashid.com.)


One of the first families to sign a lease at the Solaire, thenation’s first “green” residential high-rise, included a child who suffered from allergies and respiratory problems.

Before moving in, the 7-year-old had never slept through the night.Now she sleeps soundly.

“That’s due to the indoor air quality,” says Julie Gross Gelfand, vicepresident and director of public relations for HLD/Blankman PublicRelations, which represents the Albanese Organization, developer of the Solaire. “It’s like a magic bullet.”

Healthy indoor air quality — achieved through a state-of-the artfiltration system that removes 85 percent of particulates and provides each of the building’s 293 units with fresh filtered air — is just one ofmany environmentally responsible aspects that have earned the Solaireinternational acclaim, not to mention Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

An on-site wastewater treatment system — the first in the nation

built inside a multifamily residential building — recycles black water(from toilets and shower and sink drains). Together with a storm-waterreuse system and various additional conservation strategies, it ensuresthat the 27-story Solaire uses half the water of a typical residentialbuilding its size. And solar panels built into the Solaire’s exterior walls,as well as energy-efficient windows, lighting and appliances, reduce thebuilding’s energy consumption by 35 percent.

“The Solaire symbolizes what can be accomplished with a commitmentto utilizing readily available technologies and materials to create a healthyliving environment,” says Russell C. Albanese, president of the AlbaneseOrganization, which teamed with design architects Clarke Pelli and a widerange of experts to complete the project.

First in a “green” seriesOverlooking the Hudson River on Lower Manhattan’s west side, theSolaire is the first of eight buildings to be constructed in Battery Park

Low-Impact LandmarkNew York City’s Solaire project proves that high-density housing can be easy on the environment

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The Solaire (center) gives off a healthy

glow against the Manhattan skyline.

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City in accordance with the “green guidelines” and GreenBuilding Tax Credit program initiated by Gov. George Patakiin 2000. Since a green residential tower had never beforebeen attempted in the United States, much of the process was “learn as you go,” says Tim Button, a principal atManhattan-based Stedila Design, which oversaw the building’s interior design.

“Choosing the materials was where the green standardsmost came into play for us,” says Button. “We had two fil-ters we ran everything through: Was the material healthyfor people to live with? And was it a renewable resource?”

In appointing the Solaire’s apartments, Button chosenatural and high-end materials, including solid cherrykitchen cabinets, slate kitchen floors, granite countertops,marble bathrooms and maple floors. Durability was key,given that the Solaire is home to a significant number of families.

Button chose Sherwin-Williams’ Harmony® Interior Latex (in a flatfinish in the bedrooms and living rooms, Eg-Shel finish in the bathroomsand kitchen) because Harmony emits no VOCs. (He was familiar withHarmony because his children have allergies and he researched low- orno-VOC paints for his own home.) For the trim and doors, Sherwin-Williams’ Manhattan sales representative Herman Stubblefield recom-mended ProClassic Waterborne semi-gloss, which “achieves a finishsimilar to an oil-based paint but with a low-VOC content,” he says.

Light where it counts“For the walls, we limited our color choicesto a fairly light palette,” says Button. Ratherthan relying on wall color to provide visualinterest, he brought color into the apart-ments through the “nonpaint” elements:furniture, flooring, cabinetry and evennature. “The color change that the win-dows offer — especially with the settingsun coming through the west-facing apart-ments — is spectacular,” says Button, whoadds that there are no windows in theapartments’ hallways. “That seems coun-terintuitive, but we didn’t want to wastethe natural light — not to mention the

energy loss — in spaces that didn’t matter. We put it all where people live.”The fact that the Solaire was fully occupied within six months of com-

pletion, at rents averaging 4 to 5 percent higher than those for equivalentbuildings, has made it a case study for sustainable urban living. Since itscompletion, another green residential tower, the Verdesian, also anAlbanese project, has risen next door, and one more is in the works nearby.

“You take the whole package at the Solaire — the service, thedesign, the outstanding setting — and then you add the green livingaspects, and you say, ‘Wow!’” says Gelfand. n

GOING GREEN• Use interior finishes with no or

low VOCs.

• Buy recycled carpeting — or

abandon carpeting and rugs

altogether to minimize allergens.

• Upholster with natural textiles

such as organic cotton, hemp or

linen. Look for material that’s

been colored with vegetable

(instead of chemical) dyes.

• Buy locally to reduce resources

used in transportation.

• Ask for manufacturers’ environ-

mental impact statements.

Tips from designer Tim Button of Stedila Design

F I N A L T O U C H

PERMANENT INKWhether as a sign of rebellion or state

control, a symbol of brotherhood or fierce

individuality, tattoos capture the

imagination. Captain James Cook

introduced this prehistoric concept and

the word “tattoo” to the modern world

with accounts of Tahitian natives marked

head-to-toe with intricate and indelible

patterns. The use of color was perfected

by the Japanese, and today pigments

range from organic (carbon black, for

example) to inorganic (iron oxides

produce rusty red colors) to synthetic

(including “chameleon” ink made from

polymers that react to black light). n

PRSTD STDUS Postage

PAIDCenveo

Sherwin-Williams400 1st Ave. N., Ste. 540Minneapolis, MN 55401

You can rely on Sherwin-Williams to help you meet your green coatingspecifications and satisfy all your quality expectations. We’ve developed theGreenSure™ symbol to help you identify environmentally preferable products thatdeliver maximum performance. Look for GreenSure on Harmony�and DurationHome.™ Both of these innovative coatings meet our highest standards for airquality, VOC emissions, life cycle cost efficiency, durability, color, and coverage.

To learn more, visit your nearest Sherwin-Williams store, see your ArchitecturalAccount Executive or call our Architect & Designer Answerline at 1-800-321-8194.

M E E T E X P E C T A T I O N S W I T H O U T C O M P R O M I S E .

©2006 The Sherwin-Williams Company www.sherwin-will iams.com

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